Poultry crate



B. A. STAMP POULTRY CRATE Filed March 281 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 'fizaawzwllmmz-gazargmmg iaia'q A ATTORNEY 1,624,517- Apnl B. A. STAMP POULTRY CRATE Filed March 28, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 my. 9. 2g. 36 J9 T 25 7 35 INVENTOR I i fiy.]0. 5* XNMCZ f 56 I Q ATTORNEY I April 12,1927. 1,624,517

. B. A. STAMP POULTRY (IRATE Filed March 28, 1925 s Sheets-Shegt 5 26 and 26 J]. a a. b 25! 2a 28 2a 26 l\ll|\llllllllll l!lll!ll lllllllll$l INVENTOR fq ATTORNEY cm- W Y Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

UNETE STARS ATENT OFFICE.

BURNIE A. STAMP, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

T0 STAMP RIGHTXVAY CONVEYOR. COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CO3- IPORATION OF DELAW'ARE.

POULTRY CRATE.

Application-filed March 28, 1925. Serial No. 19,067.

My invention relates to collapsible crates for shipping live poultry, and has for an object the provision of an improved crate of this type. I

1 will describe one form of crate embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

in the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a perspective view showing one form of crate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a trans verse sectional view of the bottom member W of the crate. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bottom member 5W. Fig. 3 is a view showing in front elevation one of the end members E of the crate. Fig. a is a sectional view of the end members on the line IVIV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view showing the shape of one of the wires 21 in the end member E. Fig. 6 is a View showing in front elevation the back member 13 of the crate shown in Fig. 1. F ig. 7 is an end view of the back member B. F ig. 8 is a view showing a spring clip 23 attached to the back member B. Fig. 9 is a view show ing in front elevation the front member F of the crate. Fig. 10 is a plan view ofthe top member T of the crate. Fig. 1O 1sv a fragmental view showing the hinge loops 36 attached to the top member. Fig. 11 is a view showing the shape of wires 26 and 26 in the top member, and Fig. 12 is a view showing the shape of wires 28 in the top member. Fig. 13 is a plan viewshowing a door D for the top member, and Fig. 14-. is an end view of this door. Figs. 15, 1b and 17 are detail views showing the shapes of wires 35, 31 and 27 in the top member T. Fig. 18 is a side view of a spring latch A for keeping the crate closed, and Fig. 19 is a rear view of the latch A. Fig. 20 is a detail view showing a hook for latching the top and back members together while the crate is being folded.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the crate comprises a bottomNV, two end members E and E aback member B, a front member F, and a top member T.

The bottom WV of the crate is made of wood, and preferably comprises (see Figs. 2 and 2) a plurality of boards 15 held together by a number of cleats 17 and also by an angle iron 16 which entirely surrounds the outer edge of the Wooden bottom and is buttwelded at the point where its two ends join. This angle iron 16 supports a plurality of hinges 18 to which the end members, back members and front members are pivoted. Each hinge is a piece of strip steel bent back on itself to form a loop and welded to the vertical part of the angle iron 16.

The two end members E and E are alike, and a description of one will suffice. Referring to Fig. 3, the'end member E comprises a frame made of a relatively heavy wire 19 bent into the form of a rectangle and butt-welded where its ends meet. The upper and lower horizontal sides of this frame are connected by a plurality of equally spaced relatively light wires 20 the ends of which are welded to the rectangle. A horizontal wire 21 extends between the two vertical sides of the frame and is welded to the frame and also to each vertical wire 20. Each vertical wire 20 is straight and lies on the outside of the frame 19. Each end of the horizontal wire 21 also lies on the outside of the frame 19 but this wire is offset near each end, as shown in Fig. 5 which is a top View of the wire 21, so that it passes on the inside of each of the vertical wires 20.

The upper side of the frame 19 of each end member carries two spring clips 22 for coaction with the top member T as here inafter explained.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the back member B is constructed in the same manner as the end members E and E, in that it comprises a rectangular frame 19, vertical wires 20, and a horizontal wire 2-1. The back member, however, is provided with two straps 24 which serve as sliding hinges for the top member T. Each strap 24 is of steel shaped as shown in Fig. 7, the upper and lower ends, being welded to the upper and lower horizontal sides of the rectangular frame 19, so that the strap stands well out from the plane of the member. The lower end of each strap is formed with a loop which drops below the lower side of frame 19. The frame 19 of the :back member oars ries two spring clips '23 for coaction with the end members E-and E as hereinafter explained.

The front member F (see Fig. 9) r is identical to the end members except as to length, and'hence it need. not be described in de ail- The recta gular fra e 19.0f this lneinher carries spring clips 9. for coaction with the frames 19 of the top and end members.

The end, back and front members are all pivotally attached to the bottom member by means of the hinges l8, l8 and '18 shown in Figs. 2, and 2, this attachment being accomplished by passing the lower sides of the tlranies 19 through these hinges. The hinges 1.5:: for the end members l and E are short, so that when the end members are folded inwardly they lie lint on the bottom member ll. The hinges re tor the front member l are lonrcr so that this member when folded inwardly will lie 'liat on the end members. Th e hinges 18 for the back 1118111- her ll are still longer so that when tolded inwardly this member will lie Hat on the front member.

The general coastrimlion oil the top incinher T (see F' p 10) is siihilar to that at the end members n that it conipr s a reciai'i lar ifranie ll) of heavy wire. lgi'innectingg die two short sides of this ii lfiltllt. two hoary straight longitudinal wires which lie on top of the frame and are welded thereto. Connecting; the two shorter sides of the frame 19 are two heavy trai'isrerse wires 2 and 26". i

Each end oil each wire 26 and so" iii welded to the upper side oi. the frame id, and each end of each (1 l these wires bent as shown in llipg. ll so that the wire passes under each oi? the heavy longitudinal wires 25. iii are light longitudinal wires which are straight, and which are welded to the tops oi the frame 15) and to the tops oi the heavy tlflllSVGll-il} wire Elli. Two light transverse wires 28 are bent as shown in Fig. 152 and are welded to the tops oi? the frame ill. The kinks 28 in these Fll'QS ill enable th m to pass under the heavy longitinlinal wires 25, whereas the bends 28 enable them to pass over the light longitudinal wires 97. Other short light longitudinal wires 29 extend from the frame 15) to the adjacent heavy transverse wire 26 or 26. bein welded to the top of the frame and of the heavy transverse wire. while they pass under the light. transverse wires 28.

The top n'ieniber T is Pl'OVltlQll with a sliding door D which closes the open space 30 shown in Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. '13. this door is rectangular in shape, coniprising three spaced longitinlinal wires 31,two trans verse end wires 32, and a plurality of transverse spaced intermediate wires 33. all welded together wherever they meet. The two end wires 32 are formed as shown in Fig. Ll, that is. they have an eye 82 at each end projecting beyond the body of the door. and these eyes surround wires 35 which are shaped and supported as shown in Fig. 15. That is, these wires are welded to the top of the right hand end of frame 19, and to the bottoms of the heavy transverse wires 26 and 12th so that the door is free to slide on the wires 35 to cover and uncorer the open space 30. 'lhe middle transverse wire 31 oi the do' r extends to the left beyond the door and is shaped as shown in 1.3 and lb to term a spring clip enacting; with the heavy transverse wire ill; to latch the door in clo.-. .d position. Une oi the short longitudinal wires ill) of the top member is termed with a loop 2th where it joins the wire at, so that die door can be sealed in closed position by a pad loch passing through this loop and around the left hand trainrverse wire i" the door.

ll elded lo the 'll'tllllc it) ill the top member T at the back oi? this member are two loops 36 (see if it) and 10'') which eoact with the :-straps 21: to enable the top member in slide and swing on these straps in the manner shown and explained in my lllnited tltates Patent l lo. 1.362 645 .grranted on Dec. 121. 1920.

To latch the top member T to the end members 13 and E when the crate is set up, the top member is jjnroridrd at each end with a sliding: wire Eli arrangg cd to coaet with the spring cli on the adjacent end member. t L everel oi the longitudinal wires 27 and 2!) are provided with a dip near the frame 1%) as shown at i in l ig. 1T. 'll ires 3T slide in the guides which are thnsprovided by the clips 27 and by the longitudinal wires which are not i'ii lped. When the top member is in place with its frame 19 in the spring clips 22 shown in l, the wires ii? are shifted lat orally under the lips 22 oi? these clips and are then held there by the hump 55152" in each lip. The top member thus latched to the end members, not only by the action oi. the clips 22 on the frame l9 ot the too member. but also by the action o the lips 9 on the wires 3'7.

lVhen the crate is set up. the top member 'l is attached to the front nirniberbythcspringi: clips 23.. and also by a. hinting; latch A. As illustrated in Fl}; 18 and ll). this latch It comprises a U-shaped strap :38 oil? steel welded to the frame 13 of the top member "l." with the legs of the U projecting downwardly to straddle the frame 15) of the front meniher F. The inner leg oil the strap 38 is provided with a slot 43 to receive a dog 40 which is pivoted on a pin ll passing tlnroijigh the inner leg of the strap. This dog; is bent as shown in Fig. 18, whereby when in the position shown in that View the front and top members are locked together. The dog); 4-0 is biased to the locking position by a spring 423 attached to a pin 39. but may be swung out of this position against the action oi the spring to release the two crate members.

if-l of ill) The manipulation of the crate is fol.-

try. When it is desired to fold the crate, the top member is first released from the spring latch A and the spring clips 22 and 23, and is then swung upwardly to a ver tical position, whereupon the straps 36 Wlll slide downwardly on the straps 24. The end .members E and E are then folded inwardly to lie flat on the bottom of the crate, the front member F is folded inwardly to lie flat on the end members, and the back and top members are then folded inwardly as a unit to lie flat on the front member. The spring latch A then latches the top member to the lower side of the frame 19 of the front member F. The procedure to set the crate up is the reverse of the foregoing and will be understood without detailed explanation.

It may be desirable to latch the top member T and the back member B together when the crate is in folded condition, and for this purpose the top member may be provided with a hook 44 as shown in Fig. 20, this hook being welded to some of the short longitudinal wires 29. As the top member slides vertically downward on the straps 24, the hook 44 passes under the upper side of frame 19 of the back member (see Fig. 5) and so holds the two members together.

One important feature of my invention is the construction of the top member T of the crate. It will be noted that the two heavy longitudinal wires 25, and the two heavy transverse wires 26, 26, are in a plane above all the remaining parts of the top member. hen crates are piled one on top of another, these heavy wires take all the strain of shocks and sliding friction, and so serve to protect the lighter wires which are thus made possible for the remainder of the top structure.

A crate embodying my invention is cheap and simple to construct, easy to set up and knock down, and is remarkably rugged and serviceable. 7

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of crate embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and ,modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A poultry crate comprising an end member and a top member each having a wireframe, a U-shaped spring clip enveloping the frame of said end member and having its legs projecting vertically upward to receive the frame of the top mem ber, the inner leg being bent horizontally to pass. inside of the frame of the top me1nber, and a wire slidably mounted in the top member to pass under the horizontal portion of said clip leg to latch the top member to the end member.

2. A poultry crate comprising an end member and a top member each having a wire frame, a U-shaped spring clip en veloping the frame of said end member and having its legs projecting vertically upward to receive the frame of the top member, the inner leg being bent horizontally to pass inside of the frame of the top member, said top member including a plurality of wires attached to said frame and extending inwardly perpendicular to the portion of the frame engaged by said clip, certain of said wires being bent downwardly near the frame to form with the remaining wires a guide parallel to the frame, and a wire slidably mounted in said guide to pass underthe horizontal portion of said clip to latch the top member to the end member.

3. A poultry crate comprising a back member and a top member each having a rectangular steel frame, a vertical metal strap having its ends attached to the upper and lower horizontal sides respectively of said back frame, said strap lying well in the rear of the plane of said back member and having at its lower end a loop dropping below the lower side of the back frame, and a metal strap attached to the rear of said top frame and surrounding said first strap, whereby said top member may swing and slide with respect to said back member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BURNIE A. STAMP. 

